And then there was silence
by JoJo1
Summary: What do the future has in store? Someone can see it and does not like what she sees...can it be prevented?
1. Prologue

**Setting: ** Some years after the movie  
**Disclaimer:** I don't believe in capitalism. Some people beg to differ but they're clearly delusional.  
**Archive:** Ask first and I'll say yes.  
**Feedback:** If you're so inclined.  
**Author's notes:** Okay, okay. I should be ashamed of myself. This has got to be the longest "songfic" in existance... the song that inspired it was Blind Guardian's "And there was silence" from their album "A night on the opera" Some of the lyrics just called out to me...the song is about the war of Troy. At the end it turned out I used every single song on the album... And the comic-fans will recognize some ideas here...eventually. Twisted a bit but still... 

* * *

**Prologue**  
Ororo Munroe was standing in the office of Charles Xavier, dressed in her X-men garb. She didn't know yet if she should use it or not, it depended a bit on what kind of assignment Xavier had in mind for her. Her past as as a thief had given her the, sometimes unwanted, status of being an undercover agent for the X-men. Would this be one of those times? 

That's when Ororo hears the sound of the door opening and turns around too see Xavier roll through the door with Scott Summers walking behind him. She notice that Xavier looks a bit weary and asks with worry evident in her voice   
"Professor? You okay?"   
"Yes, I'm fine Ororo. Just tired. This last hour in Cerebro was very draining to say the least." 

Ororo looks at him questioningly. 

He looks up and tells her the story. 

"Well, it's all part of your mission. Yesterday I noticed a, for lack of a better word, explosion of mutant activity close to Jerusalem. It was just a routine scan at first, when that happened. Normally Cerebro can't reach that far so the mutant in question must be extremely powerful. The activity disappeared almost as fast as it had registered so I've spent most of my night atuned to it, too see if I could spot it again. No luck. And this morning I bypassed all security-measures in Cerebro and went full power. Maybe a stupid thing to do but it payed off. The mutant is still out there, but shielded in some way." 

"You'll be okay?" Ororo asked, knowing fully how dangerous it was to Xavier to use Cerebro at full power. 

"Yes. I only need some rest. Now, what I want you two to do is to fly down there and see if you can find this mutant. I would send the whole team if I knew if he is a potential foe but at this point I simply do not know and do not want to alarm him if he's benign. The mini-Cerebro Moira helped to create should be able to help you immensly with that." 

Both Storm and Cyclops almost simultaneuously nods their agreement and says "We're on our way". 

After the Blackbird has taken off the door to Xavier's office opens once again and a woman in her early thirties enters the room, asian looking but still not. 

"What do you think?" Xavier asks?   
"I do not know. The signs are still there and hasn't even fluctated since you sent them away."   
"Which means?"   
"That this probably won't account for anything. Everything will still happen as forseen."   
"What do you see?"   
"Death. Death everywhere." 


	2. Precious Jerusalem

Okay, okay. I steal too much from the comics but this villain had to make an appearance in movie-fics... well, maybe he has already but I can't recall any... 

* * *

**Chapter 2: Precious Jerusalem**  
It was an ordinary day at the mansion. As ordinary a day you can get in a mansion inhabited by a dozen or more supercharged mutants at any rate. No brotherhood activities had been noted as of late and no FOH members doing their best to be a nuisance either. The mansion and life there had been what Professor Xavier had wanted it to be from the start. A school, a home and a safe haven. That was soon to change though. Maybe for good. 

Which Xavier knew, much to his dismay. There were not many people that knew that Scott and Ororo were on a secret mission, secret to the two of them as well. They thought they were on a sort of recoignance mission and maybe pick up mission but it was so much more than that. 

Xavier sighed in resignation. He didn't like himself very much at all right now. Truth be told, he saw himself as a traitor and murderer. He had used Scott and Ororo. They're bait, plain and simple. If the mutant was who he thought it was, they don't stand a chance. He tried to reassure himself that he was doing it for the greater good but didn't quite suceed in doing so. He knew it was important to have the upper hand on the enemy and make him think he couldn't be beaten even by the best. That's the only way he himself and Fate had been able to think up. 

Fate. He didn't like the name his old friend had chosen for herself. It made it sound like there was no way out of the dangers that lies ahead. But fitting, he had to admit. Whenever she had one of her glimpses of the future, it was very rarely wrong. And when it comes to matter of life and death, it had yet to be wrong. It didn't say if Ororo and Scott would make it though. It was rarely that precise. 

Not a very reassuring thought. And she was also the one that had found out who it was that made such an impact in Cerebro. An even less reassuring thought. If it's truly him not much will stop him if anything. One of the major reasons X-men had been founded in the first place. If that plan had any chance whatsoever was as of now written in the stars. 

Xavier rolled away from his desk, away to the panorama window. He looked out into the gardens, wanting to take his mind away from every trouble he has. 

What he saw, and felt when he let his thoughts stray a bit, was everyone thoroughly enjoying themselves in their own peculiar ways. 

Bobby and John were involved in their version of a snowball fight. Bobby throwing iceballs towards his friend and roomie who in turn did his best to either dodge the balls or throwing fireballs back to melt away the balls before they could hit him. 

Remy, the most recent inhabitant, did what he always did. Leaning back against a wall, the ever present cigarette dangling from the corner of his mouth, looking at the girls. His only regret was that it wasn't warmer so they would have been more scantily clad. 

Logan, Jean and Rogue were each off on their own somewhere, enjoying the rare chance of solitude they all had a need for. 

Kitty and Jubes were, as always, at the mall and probably had some security guards on their tail. They'd managed to give themselves a reputation as troublemakers there, much to the surprise of everyone. Not that Jubes was one - that was as much her trademark as the ever-present yellow jacket but none had seen the shy and timid Kitty that way. Some thought she was too shy and insecure in herself and that Jubes was a bad influence on her. 

That just leaves Piotr, Kurt and a bunch of the younger crowd unaccounted for, doing their things all around the mansion grounds. 

That's when it happened. Totally unexpected, as with many a thing that changes everything. An explosion could be heard in a far corner of the estate. As soon as the initial surprise was gone, everyone hurried towards it as soon as their feet could get them there. Unexpected to even Fate. Her mind had been too preoccupied with what was going on in Israel to pay the home turf much attention. 

What they saw was the Brotherhood making their appearance with Magneto in the lead. Everyone had thought he was still safely contained in his plastic cell so there had been no real plans made to counter for his awsome powers. And besides, the people at the school now had no real battle experience either. Remy had some but not at the expertice Magneto and Sabretooth possessed. 

Magneto just smiled. A smile that said it all. He knew. He knew perfectly well that this was the perfect time for him to attack and to render the school and the X-men's HQ inoperable. The brotherhood had expanded quite a lot recently and there were some members none had known about beforehand. Magneto's a formidable strategist and his underlings knew exactly what to do. Well, save for Sabretooth. He had no clear orders except apparently to cause as much mayhem and destruction as possible. 

Xavier cursed silently to himself and sent out a distress signal to the people outside of the school-grounds. Things were already getting out of hand and the biggest danger had yet to be adressed. 

**Meanwhile in Jerusalem**  
Scott and Ororo had now been walking around Jerusalem and outside for the better part of a day and still no sign of any mutant activity. A small bleep every now and then from the portable Cerebro but nothing really tangible. Still, both felt that there was something there. Something hidden. Something sinister. They didn't know why but their instincts screamed "Run! It's a trap!". That there was absolutely nothing to cause that reaction didn't make it better, quite the opposite. 

Their respective "upbringing", if you want to call it that, had learned them to trust what their guts were telling them. Ororo's career as a thief in Kairo and Scott's time on the streets, both had thaught them that you need to trust yourself and what you feel. 

Which made them more alert than usual. Not that it helped them in the end. Xavier's and Fate's deductions had been correct and the mutant caught them completely by surprise and knocked them out cold before they were even aware he was nearby. 

Some hours later they awoke, finding themselves shackled to a wall with a man, tall and menacing looking, standing watching them. 

"Ah, so you're awake. Cyclops and Storm."   
"Do we know you?" Cyclops asked, even though he perfectly well knew he had never seen the man before.   
"No. But I do know you. Members of the X-men, following the orders of a Charles Francis Xavier. Cyclops, real name Scott Summers, fire optic blasts from his eyes. Storm, also known as Ororo Munroe, controls the weather. No danger to me and if Xavier thought he could fool me into revealing myself that easily he is more of a fool than I thought him to be." 

The man sounded so self-assured in his assessments that neither Storm or Cyclops could help but believe him. 

Cyclops, always in control even under the direst of circumstances, refused to be intimidated by the mysterious stranger though. 

"Okay, so you have us trapped and you know who we are. What now?"   
"Wouldn't you like to know? Since it's too late for you to do anything about it I might just as well answer. A little anyway. What we're seeing here is the next stage of the human evolution and just as Magneto tried a few years ago on the Statue of Liberty, a event that woke me up from my deep slumber, I intend to increase the rate of that evolution. But not in his small way of just causing random mutations. Any fool can do that. No, what I am going to do is to get rid of the weaklings, humans and mutants alike. You and the rest of the X-men are not weak but you're standing in my way."   
"Woke up?"   
"Yes. I had been sleeping for quite a while to regenerate my strength. I'm old, much as my name implies if you knew the language it's in. I was old when your country had yet to be founded."   
"Well, you know us. How about you tell us your name then?"   
"En-Sabah-Nur - The First One or The Ancient one. Quite fitting that I have my home here, where three of the ancient religions meet. Maybe not the Prophet the Bible and the Quaran speaks of but a prophet nonetheless. There's no longer a need to hide it. I've found out who I am. I rise and fall and rise again, time eternally. The Almighty is still alive. This is where Apocalypse's rises to ascenscion." 


	3. Battlefield

**Chapter 3: Battlefield**  
Scott still refused to be intimidated by the mysterious stranger, even less so now that he knew the name. Or the name he claimed was his anyway. No matter how powerful the bastard is there's something silly about someone taking himself so seriously that he refers to himself as Apocalypse. Talk about suffering from delusions of grandeur. 

"Yeah, right. Another Hitler wannabe. Just what the world needs. Let me know when you come up with an original plan." 

Apocalypse just looked at him with contempt. 

"Hitler was just a beginner. I however, play on an entire different level. The might of Apocalypse is not to be trifled with and the age of his coming into power has been foretold since eons ago. Your mentor, Charles Xavier, knows this which is why he is so scared now that he sent his two star-pupils at a suicide mission. A desparate attempt to turn the tide before it's too late."   
"If you tell yourself that enough times maybe you'll start believing it." Scott said, not knowing whether Apocalypse could be beaten or not. However, he wasn't a quitter. Never had been. If so he would have been dead by now. Many times over in fact.   
"Very well, Cyclops. Enlighten me. What makes you think I can be defeated?"   
"The same reason as always. Tyrants come and tyrants go. That's always been the case and you're just another one in a long row. Besides, you haven't done anything but bragging about how strong you are and how everything works in your favour. Talk is cheap."   
"You'll just have to wait and see then, cause you're not leaving this place anytime soon. Not as a free man anyway. As a soldier in my army, yes."   
"Over my dead body!"   
"You speak as if you really had a choice. I can be really persuasive and if that doesn't work, let's just say I have other means. I'd prefer to have you as a volunteer but an involuntary soldier works almost as well. I'm sure your friends at the academy would agree with that now. Erik Lensherr and his friends are just as deadly now as they were before they underwent my treatment." 

With that Apocalypse leaves. 

Scott turns to Ororo and asks "What do you think?"   
"Well, he's sure a arrogant bastard. I don't know what to think otherwise. If he's really capable of what he's bragging about. But as long as we're trapped here there's really not much to do about it either way. One thing's for sure though."   
"Which is?"   
"The one that designed these shackles knew what he was doing. I thought I could bypass any lock ever made but I was wrong. I've been trying to break out of these ever since your talk with him started and haven't made any progress at all. They seem to absorb my gift too."   
"I've also noticed that. Or well, rather that I can't seem to fire my blast at all. It's like I don't want to. Maybe that's soldier thing wasn't so far-fetched after all."   
"Maybe not. So what do we do?"   
"I don't know." 

**Meanwhile, back in Westchester**   
Xavier's distress call had so far gone unanswered. Truth be told, he hadn't really thought help would come in time. No one could tell where everyone was and how fast they could make it back. So they would have to make do with what they had. Which wasn't much. Almost nothing at all actually, which the Brotherhood took clear advantage of. Those of the staff and the students still on the grounds were brutally slaughtered one by one and a piece of Xavier died when he felt them die. 

He was useless, he thought. He couldn't do anything to save them. Whatever method Eric was using to make himself invulnerable to his psychic powers he had thaught well to his allies. It wasn't at all part of the helmet as he had once thought. It was something else. Maybe just discipline and selfcontrol. Whatever the reason was it made Xavier totally helpless, bound to his wheelchair as he was. 

The door to his office was suddenly thrown open and Magneto strode in. Alone. 

"Hello, old friend. Long time no see."   
"Who are you? The Eric I know would never be a part of something like this. He may be hot-blooded and impatient but not a cold-blooded murderer."   
"That was then. This is now. I told you the war is coming. Well, that's not true anymore. It has already started and I plan to be on the winning side. It's a cruel world Charles and only the fittest will survive."   
"That sounds like something Apocalypse would say."   
"So you know of him? I shouldn't be surprised I suppose. Yes, the High Lord would say that and I agree. Which is why we now work together." 

With that Magneto grabs Xavier and heads out of the building, dropping Xavier uncermoniously on the ground. 

"Watch!" he says pointing towards the mansion. Xavier dreads to but forces himself to and sees some other Brotherhood members, using their combined powers to totally demolish the building. When they're finished there's nothing but dust left. 

"The dream is broken, Charles. Deal with it. You and a few scattered X-men is all there is left and you're in no position to fight back anymore. I leave you with that." 

The Brotherhood leaves Greymalkin Lane as quickly as they came, leaving Xavier in grief and thought. 

He thinks it's surreal. He knows the fields are covered in blood but it just cannot be seen. He's never felt such a rage in his life and feels like a dark seed reigns over his body. Apocalypse and Magnto shall pay for this, if it's the last thing he does! 

Broken bodies lay down all over the grounds but in their rush, or if it was by intent, not all of them are dead. Severly wounded but not dead. Yet. 

The Prophecy is coming true and he himself and Fate was too blind to see every little thing about it. His only comfort is that God knows he's innocent. Innocent of everything but being blind. A cold comfort at best. 

He instinctively feels his mind losing the grip of reality. This is all too much for one man to handle, his dream being smashed into so many small pieces in such a short a time. The dream is dead or more aptly put, been turned into a nightmare. Driven insane by blindness and the world's cruelty. Lost in anguish and grief. A sorrow that won't wane until he dies. The mind and body shattered. 

The light is gone forever more. 


	4. Under the ice

**Chapter 4: Under the ice**  
The mental cry of anguish from Xavier when he begged for backup didn't go unnoticed. Everyone outside dropped everything they were doing and rushed towards the mansion as fast as they could. Jubilee, Kitty, Jean, Logan and Rogue were speedily heading homewards, each and everyone begging they were not too late to be of any assistance. They knew Xavier was not one to call for assistance if it wasn't extremely important. Logan and Rogue, as always together, arrived first and to be blunt were shell-shocked over what they saw. 

They quite simply could not believe their eyes, and in the case of Logan he couldn't believe his other senses either. Every sense of his simply screamed death...death...death. And for some time his conscious mind refused to believe that. That the mansion and the people there could be defeated so easily. Or seemingly so easy. They had both been a part of the X-men for quite some time at that point and soon the training and instincts took over. Something dreadful had indeed taken place and now was not the time to panic. That may come later, when there might be even more cause for panic. For now though, they used their hard-earned expertise in finding out what had happened. 

They were still in the midst of that when Jean, Kitty and Jubes showed up. All of them looking just as shocked over the state of the estate. 

They were as well disciplined when it came to grave matters, even though all of them wished they weren't. But wishes don't do the dirty work for you and at this point in time, Jean and Logan in particular proved what they were made of. They seeminly were able to turn off their feelings and used their powers to the utmost in finding survivors. Jean with her telepathy and Logan with his animal senses. What it would cost them in the long run was either conviniently ignored or pushed to the side for the time being. 

They concentrated all of their beings into finding survivors of the slaughter that just recently had taken place. 

They didn't find many. Remy was still alive, even if it was just barely. Same thing with Fate and Bobby. The rest were dead. Except for Xavier. His body was still alive but the once brilliant mind had withdrawn into its own shell. He was basically a vegetable, living but not sentient in any way that mattered. 

No one could determine what had made Xavier that way as of yet but Jean was determined she would find the cause eventually. In the meantime she had to use her energies to fight off death for Remy, Fate and Bobby. Their life was much more at risk than Xavier's for the time being. 

The days passed and turned into weeks. Bobby and Fate were getting stronger all the time but Remy seemed to have given up. 

Until one day. The first day he opened his eyes after that disastrous day. The first thing he saw was Jean checking his vitals and he used a lot of his strength in just asking her to get Logan. Jean didn't hesistate and immediately went to fetch Logan, telling him that his friend wanted to see him. Maybe for the last time. 

During the time Logan and Remy had known eachother, they had almost instantly become the best of friends. Partly because they both saw themselves as outsiders and were not afraid of opening up infront of the other. 

Logan immediately went away to Remy's sickbed without second thought.   
"Hey there Gumbo, Red said you wanted to see me. I hope it's to tell me you're soon ready for our next poker game", Logan said in an attempt to lighten the mood. Remy laughed weakly before saying "If only. I've drawn my last card Logan. You know that." Logan didn't know what to say so he just nodded his head, not wanting to insult his friend in what may be his last moments.   
"You know Logan, we've always been honest to one another. Up to a point. There's some things in my past I've never told you. And don't lie to me by saying you've told me everything. Of what you can remember anyway."   
"I won't."   
"I know. So will you tell me the truth so I can die in peace?"   
"Yes." 

Gambit reaches slowly into one of his pockets and retrieve something.   
"Can you then explain why Sabretooth gave me this before he gave me a killing blow?" he says as he gives Logan an exact replica of the dogtags Logan had once given Rogue. But Remy was not finished.   
"He gave me these and told me to tell the runt to 'Remember the Oath'. Is it true what he said, about the part you played in all of this?"   
"I don't know. What did he say?"   
"That if it hadn't been for you this would never had taken place. He claims that you and his employer have known eachother for quite some time."   
"Magneto? No, I hadn't heard of Magneto until I was first brought here."   
"Not Magneto. Some guy called Sinister. Dunno who that is. Except that Creed said that the guy could make every terrorist in existance, himself included, look tame in comparison and a phrase. "   
"What phrase?"   
"Welcome to the slaughterhouse." 

At that Logan completely froze. Literally. But not for long. He knew what Remy was talking about. What Creed was talking about. And if hadn't known shame and guilt before that moment he knew know what those emotions were all about. The conditioning had finally been removed and now Logan wished it never had been. 

He had always known. That one day or the other, for good or for bad, his past would catch up with him. Now it had and good had nothing to do with it. This was bad. Very very bad. He had always been threading on thin ice when it came to that and now the ice had broken under him, just to froze again when he was way below the waterline. 

An ice not easily broken again, not even with adamantium-laced claws. 


	5. Sadly sings Destiny

**Chapter 5: Sadly sings Destiny**  
My name's Fate. Or that's what I'm calling myself now anyway. It was a long time since someone called me by my real name, Cassandra. Not even Charles does and he's always been a very close friend to mine. He calls me Fate even though he doesn't like the name anymore than I do. 

But it is fitting. I only pray that the deaths that has recently took place was all my vision meant. I don't know yet but I will eventually for all the good it wil do. My gift's pretty useless. What's the point in getting glimpses of the future when you can't do anything to prevent it from happening? 

Wonder if it was the same for the seer that forsaw the coming of Apolalypse's rise to power and his victory? I guess so but am hoping that the seer was mistaken somewhere. Otherwise the war is already over. 

Not that there's much of fighting we can do. Charles is still comatose and Jean is doing her utmost to bring him back, both with her medical skills and with her telepathy. Ororo and Scott are prisoners of Apocalypse. We know they're still alive thanks to Jean but nothing more. Remy, Bobby, Logan, Kitty, Jubilee and Rogue are alive. Remy despite all odds. Not much of a striketeam if you ask me. 

Especially when you consider Logan's condition. It almost literally tore him apart when he found out that he's partly guilty of this and what he had been in his past. Of course, I knew it. Not that he was the one but that someone would unwittingly become a traitor. 

Everyone has tried to convince him that it's not his fault and that he's a better man now than what he was back then and that this could have happened anyway. He's not listening though. Not even to his girlfriend, Rogue. An odd couple if I ever saw one but they were happy before this. Now I'm afraid it will tear them apart. 

Not because of Logan's past or part of this but because he's shutting everyone out. His guilt is eating him up from the inside. Because of him the only family he has ever had has been destroyed. 

**flashback to the night Logan found out**  
Logan stormed out of the tent where Remy was lying in his sickbed, sick and tired of himself. Of what he had been. What he might still be. Disgusted with himself. Jean sensed his inner conflict and selfhatred and rushed over to him. 

"Logan? What's wrong?"   
"You don't want to know. Hell, I don't want to know."   
"Talk about it might help."   
"No. Nothing will help. Not this time." he said and accidently dropped the new set of dogtags. Jean picked them up and asked "Didn't you gave that to Rogue?"   
"No. They're new. A parting gift from that bastard Victor Creed. Along with a reminder of my past."   
"And? Isn't that what you've always wanted? To know your past."   
"The price was too high."   
"What price?"   
"The truth."   
"Well, I'm all ears. And I think you really need to talk about it if it bothers you this much."   
"Bothers? That's not even half of it. You'll hate my guts when you know."   
"No. You're too good a friend and teammate for that to happen."   
"You won't give up until I speak will you?" 

Jean smiled warmly at him and said "Nope. I know it will help and I care too much about you to letting you hurt this way."   
"Fine then. Well, to make it short I never was in a lab. Or well, I was. But not as a guinea-pig as I've always thought. No, I was one of the guards! Together with Creed. We were rather cruel to the poor test subjects too. The unofficial name for the place was "The Slaughterhouse" so I guess you can see how cruel we were. All the guards had been handpicked by the guy running the show, a guy always refered to as just Mr Sinister. Dunno his real name. He was obsessed with genetics and other things I don't anything about. My job was to keep the inmates in line. That's why I voluntarily got the adamantium put into my body." 

Logan stops, almost choking on tears because of his shameful past. Jean walks up to him, hugging him and saying "I'm so sorry Logan. But that's in the past. You're not that kind of man now."   
"Aren't I? I'm still the violent guy, the one that goes more on instinct than thinking things through."   
"But you don't kill or hurt just for the sake of it. When you have to do it, you do it in self-defence or to defend others. And I've seen how you are when you've done that. Plagued by guilt."   
"Don't patronize me! Anyway, there's worse to come."   
"I'm still here."   
"We all took an oath. That whenever Sinister needed us we would come back and be on his side. Fight his fights. I didn't. Or he didn't bother to ask for it, and restore the memories he suppressed when the place got dismantled so we wouldn't accidently give the secret away, because I'm fighting with you now. And this is the result." he says, waving his arm around. "A slaughter to tell the Wolverine not to switch loyalties." 

At that point, Logan walks away. Shoulders slumped, seemingly utterly defeated. 


	6. The maiden and the minstrel knight

**Chapter 6: The maiden and the minstrel knight**  
My name's Marie, but not many people know that. And I like it that way. It's a kind of insulation in a way. To keep people at arm's length keep them from getting too close to me and potentionally hurt me or worse, me from hurting them. 

There's only a handful of people I've ever let get that close to me since my mutation manifested. Kitty. Remy, Jubes and most importantly Logan is the only ones. It seems I should have kept my mouth more firmly shut that day in his truck and not have let him know it. It would make this so much easier to bear. No, that's not fair of me. I know he's hurting so much from knowing what he was like in his past that he probably doesn't even know what he's doing. 

But I don't get how he can be so blind to everything he's done since then. Maybe there's something he hasn't told us but still. Whatever he did back then he has payed back many times over and often by risking his own life to save people that at best were complete strangers to him and more often than not to save people that would be more than happy to crucify than to say "thank you". That's as far from a selfish, cruel bastard as you can get. 

Well, if I have to beat him up to make him see reason that's what I'm gonna do. He was my knight when I needed one so badly even if I've never seen myself as a maid in distress needing to be saved. No matter. Time to turn the tables here. My turn to be the Knight even if he tries to avoid me as best as he can. Not good enough as he's soon about to find out. 

**Some hours later**  
Okay, he had hidden himself better than I thought but he must have given up on hiding now because he is...getting ready to leave? 

"Logan? What are you doing?"   
"Getting ready to leave. What does it look like?" 

Okay, that's a progress. He's actually talking again. 

"It looks like you're running again."   
"That's what I'm doing best. Now beat it."   
"No way. You're no quitter Logan and you know it. So you're staying put here and help us in dealing with all of this."   
"I can't do that. This is my fault and who knows what else my presence can cause here." 

He starts the engine but before he gets the chance to roll away I jump onto the bike behind him. 

"Marie! Get off."   
"Nope. No can do. You're crazy if you think I'm gonna let you run away on your own. Someone's gotta kick or talk some sense into you."   
"And that's you?"   
"Can you see someone else here?"   
"Well, when you put it that way." he says and we drive away.   
For how long? I don't know. Will we ever be back? I don't know that either. Only time will tell. 

**Meanwhile in Jerusalem**  
The man known as Apocalypse looks at Scott Summers and Ororo Munroe with some glee evident in his eyes before saying 

"Do you still doubt that I can do what I claim? The X-men are shattered to the wind. You two are here, a few left at the now destroyed mansion and two just left, shattering the team even more." 

"As if it was you that was responsible for all of that." Scott answered but his resolve was weakening. Was he right? Was it him that was responsible for it all? 

"It is. I'm the one that founded and made sure the lab Wolverine was serving in was running. With help of my aide Mr Sinister. And I know all of you. So much that I know how you will react given certain circumstances. That's how I knew how Wolverine would react if he thought he had been a guard at the lab. Which of course he wasn't. That's just a memory implant. That's how I knew Rogue would go with him when he decided to run away. That's how I'm invulnerable to your powers. But enough talking. Now it's time to start the next phase in getting the prophecy fulfilled." 

"No way. No one can manage things like that."   
"No, not ordinary men like you. But like I said, I'm very very old. When you're centuries or even millenia's old you learn patience. In a way mortals cannot even begin to comprehend." 

With that Apocalypse snaps his fingers and the shackles that's holding Cyclops firmly attached the wall retracts and he falls down onto the floor. 

He quickly get to his feet though and fires a blast towards Apocalypse. He's stunned that he was able to do it this time but even more stunned when Apocalypse don't even react when the blast hits him square in the chest. 

"Consider that a proof, Cyclops, that I can play you and what remains of your pitiful team like a piano if I want to". 

With that Apocalypse grabs Cyclops by the wrists and drags him off to another room, tieing him up on what looks like a medical bed. But with quite a difference in the kind of equipment than what Cyclops is used to seeing. 

"Not that you needed the proof since you're soon one of my faithful servants. This equipment will see to that. You're powerful Scott and will make an excellent ally." 

Scott feels a sting in his right arm as needle is piercing his skin. 

"The procedure takes some time though so I will be seeing you in a couple of months." is the last thing Scott hears before everything goes black. 


	7. Wait for an answer

**Chapter 7: Wait for an answer**   
_:: indicates Xavier's thoughts ::_  
_~ indicates Jean's thoughts ~_

My name's Jean Grey. I'm a member of the X-men. Or a former member perhaps? That's the way it feels right now at least. I can't believe everything's fallen apart so quickly. The mansion's destroyed and the team's been shattered to the winds and most of the people that once lived here are dead and I couldn't do anything to stop it. I feel so worthless. My medical background and my powers have proven to be so inadequate in preventing this. Any of this. 

Am I too harsh on myself? Maybe but I'm only human and I have sworn to protect lives if it's at all in my power to do so. I've failed. Big time. For the last time I swear! 

What good that oath will do me I don't know. Or bad perhaps. Only time will tell. For now I will do my utmost to try to put things right. Enough? Another time only time will tell. I can only try. With whatever means I have. 

Scott's out of my reach. I can still feel him through our mind-link but there's something wrong. It's not the Scott I know and love I feel. Not completely. He's slipping away towards something. Towards something more...I don't know. More uncaring or unfeeling perhaps. It's so very hard to ignore it but I have to. I can't do anything about it no matter how much I wish I could. What I can do something about is Charles. At least I hope so. He's partly within my reach at least even if he's slipping too. Towards something darker. Darker than I thought such a kind person as him was possible to reach. 

I'm so grateful of the advances the medical profession has taken the last decade or two because without it he would truly be lost to us. It's still a touch and go but without that knowledge and the more intimate knowledge us telepaths have when it comes to the brain, he would truly be lost in his own mind for the rest of his life. As it is, he almost is anyway but at least I have a way to get to him. Partly if nothing else. I can only try. 

Time to dive into my mentor's mind, trying to fix what can be fixed. 

::I cannot say that I don't care, because I'm aware of everyone and everything. They're everywhere.:: 

Who are everywhere? Our enemies? Yes, they are. That's nothing new. Charles has been aware of that for quite some time. So what has made him withdraw this much? He's always been so strong. 

:: Our enemies are out to crush us. And I failed. I failed in every way possible. It's all my fault. I was a naive fool into thinking I could make a difference. :: 

What do I say to that? I've done this before. Several times the last couple of days and I've yet to make him see reason. It wasn't his fault that this happened. If he's a naive fool for wanting the world to be a better place, so was Gandhi, Buddha and Jesus. 

But he's just not listening. Better just be blunt I suppose. 

~ Don't be a fool Charles. You're right. It's not safe here. Not for you. Not for me. Not for anyone. Do you want to keep it that way or do you intend to fight it? ~ 

He's not answering. Not that I expected it. But at least he didn't withdraw further into his shell. 

~ Start using your brain Charles. It's your biggest asset. You know we can fight this.~ 

I don't say it but I know, I just know, that he knows I'm meaning both his state of mind and Apocalypse. If only he tries. We need him. The most powerful mind on the planet. 

I'm waiting for an answer. From Charles. The Charles I know. Not this poor imitation of him. It's his body but nothing more. To think that Magneto is part of this. It seems like the mutant community, to use Senator Kelly's words, is more intent on fighting amongst itself than anything else. 

Have I become too jaded after all our fights against Magneto and the rest of the brotherhood? And every other mutant that has been a threat to the world at one time or the other? 

At times I've wished that I was a bird of prey. A pure and blessed. A hawk that could ease the pain of its prey. Okay, that sounded too violent for my liking. But sometimes it does feel that way. 

:: Don't look back Jean. Tell me it is where you belong. A place without hope. :: 

~No, Charles. I won't. There's always hope. You always thaught me that, even when I thought there wasn't. I won't let your darker thoughts influence me. Or you. It's not you speaking now. ~ 

::But what if I'm wrong?::   
~We won't find out if you're not fighting will we?~ 

I don't know what I did this time to get through to him I wasn't able to before but his eyes are slowly opening. He's looking at me but there's still no hope in his eyes. He just looks sad and defeated but at least he's conscious. 

"Jean."   
"Charles. You're back."   
"I had you to guide me. Again. The teacher has to learn from his student. I may not be as hopeful as you are but I will fight. To the bitter end. I sadly admit that there's no place to hide from the raging storm. No shelter is enough to protect us." 

"We'll fight though. And maybe it will be enough."   
"Yes, maybe." 

He's quiet for a few moments before continueing 

"But this is the most draining fight we've ever had. If we stumble, Apocalypse will spread his terror across the entire world."   
"Then we won't stumble." 


	8. The soulforged

**Chapter 8: The Soulforged**  
Several months after Logan and Marie left Westchester 

Scott Summers was confused, very confused. He had no real idea of where he was or why he was there. Truth be told, he wasn't even sure what his name was anymore. All he knew for certain was that he had an urge to head north, an urge he didn't understand and didn't know where it came from. At first he had tried to fight it but soon gave that up. It was a futile attempt at best and at worst it had made his head ache like it was ready to split into two. The journey north kept on and on, mostly by foot. Drawn by the urge to find two people hiding away up there somewhere. 

He didn't know their names but he knew that he would recognize them when he arrived. One tall man with wild unruly hair and a young woman with brown hair with white streaks in it. "Keep going" a voice inside his head kept on telling him. 

The voice sounded cold, calculating and evil but Scott couldn't resist the order. It was as if his willpower had been drained from every cell of his body. Still, the journey went slowly and the more time passed the more impatient the nagging voice sounded. 

What made the journey slow wasn't because he had to rely on his feet to get him there. No, it was slow because it was draining to have someone elses presence in his head controlling his actions. The conflicting emotions and the memories of a life not his own made every minute an agony and it made him stumble and fall constantly. 

He didn't know which of the memories and feelings were his anymore or which ones belonged to the intruder. Torn into two with conflicting things that no how could mesh together into something even resembling sanity. He had images of himself leading a band of people all dressed in black leather fighting for the good cause at the same time as he saw himself as a tyrant overthrowing a good leader somewhere in Europe. He saw himself being pushed out of a plane sharing a parachute with his younger brother. He saw the plane crashing into a mountain just minutes later and he felt the grief of losing his parents that way coming back to him, almost overwhelming him. He saw himself being whipped along with many other slaves to make sure the timetable of completing the new Pyramid in ancient Egypt would hold. He saw the beutiful Princess being thrown down a sandpit to starve to death because she had fallen in love with the wrong man. He saw a redheaded woman and a bald man helping people and he saw himself as a teacher. 

Nothing made sense. No one can have two such different personalities within them and with two sets of memories to boot. Scott shrugged his shoulders and kept on walking, obeying the order of "keep going" but he thought he heard yet another order in the background. He wasn't sure if he was imagining things or not though but he could have sworn he heard "kill them" from the same voice. Would he be able to resist that order once he had found the to-be victims? And more importantly, would he want to resist it? 

**Two months later in the Canadian rockies**  
Logan and Marie had spent their time well and had rebuilt their relationship, or rather it had evolved further than what it had been before the mansion had been attacked. It hadn't been an easy thing to do since Logan was so ashamed of his past but over the months Marie had slowly but surely made him sort of accept that he no longer was that kind of man. Logan wasn't completely sure of that but he was sure that she at least didn't care what kind of man he had once been, that she loved him for the man he had changed into. It had taken some time but that she treated him exactly like before his past got revealed and that they had had some time just the two of them helped a lot too into convincing him. He only hoped and prayed that she was right and that he wouldn't revert back into cruelty. 

The both of them felt a little guilty over staying away from the X-men during a crisis but told themselves that they wouldn't have been of much use when they left considering what state Logan had been in at the time. They also knew that if the crises deepened further Jean would be able to get hold of them rather easily. If they would be able to help was another thing entirely and something they prefered not to think of if they could help it. They'd help if they could but felt that everything had crumbled down and that it was better if what remained of the X-men was spread around so one single attack would be unable to kill of every single remaining member. 

Then one day Logan sensed a familiar smell. He couldn't place it at first and just yelled at Marie that someone was approaching. They were looking around, ready for a fight if one was unavoidable, to see who was coming before visibly relaxing when they saw that it was Scott. 

Neither of them thought about how strange it was that he was coming alone and on foot at that. Not until it was too late and Scott's optic blast hit Logan square in the chest, knocking him out. Any other man would have died instantly but Logan's skeleton, healing factor and impressive physique saved him even if just barely. 

Scott though was getting more and more confused. Why did it feel like he had betrayed a trust when he had fired at that man? The woman looked furious and confused too but he dismissed her from being a threat. She didn't look all that strong to be honest and now that he looked at her he realized she wouldn't do anything rash. She was too concerned over the well-being of the man and very obviously pregnat as well and she wouldn't do anything to jeopardize the health of her baby. 

Scott advanced on her, raising his hand to his visor getting ready to fire another blast when the voice in his head made itself known again. "Don't kill her" it said, "She and her baby is much more valueable alive. Capture her and bring her to me". 


	9. Age Of False Innocence

**Chapter 9: Age of false innocence**  
Scott was slowly approaching the woman. She looked harmless enough but years of experience refused to let him take anyone at face value. For all he knew she could be death incarnate hidden behind her innocent appearance. Of course, he wasn't aware of where all that experience and knowledge came from but he knew somehow how to take advantage of it. Which only confused him more. How could he know what to take advantage of when he wasn't even sure what his own name was? One problem at a time. First, capture the woman and her unborn child for his master. Then...who knows? 

It turned out that his instinct to not underestimate her had been a good one since she was able to counter every move he did with an uncanny sucessrate. Blasts to knock her out for a time, martial arts or something else didn't matter. She dodged them effortlessly as if there was nothing to it. Then...he suddenly remembered something. Or at least some image that could be a memory. Himself training the woman in some very high-tech gym together with the guy he just knocked out (by surprise more than anything else). No wonder she knew how to defend himself if it's really a memory. 

But even more disturbing was that they all seemed to be such close friends, despite that the training was dead serious. So why was he doing his utmost to kill or kidnap his friends? To Scott's dismay he had no answer at all to that but his resistance to being controlling him was weakened. Weakened enough so that Marie could get close enough to him, using her gift on him. Only momentarily and with quite a lot of control so he wasn't knocked out completely. Only thoroughly drained and he fell to his knees, and Apocalypse withdrew for a time leaving Scott as the man he had always been - in complete control of himself. 

"Rogue! Get out of here before it's too late!"   
"What are you talking about, Scott? And why did you act so out of character!"   
"No time to explain! Someone is controlling me will have to do! Now go!" 

Marie thought that over before deciding it's no stranger than most things she's experienced since she started living at Xavier's all those years ago. 

"No way! I know you better than to think you'd give up to him."   
"I've tried. It's not working!" 

Marie was on the verge of answering before Scott again spoke but his voice had changed and now it was a much deeper timbre to it and it was filled with malice, evil and hatred. 

"You should have listened to your friend Rogue, while you still had the chance. Now you're mine and your baby will most certainly be a much valued asset. Or the potential inherent in his genes will at least." 

Hidden deep within the mind of Scott Summers, Scott recoiled at the monstrousitiy that sprang from his mouth and he tried once again to fight the evil that was inhabiting him, like he was nothing more than a host used and discarded at will. He tried and tried to fight it and was succeeding slightly. Very slightly but for a while. 

"Rogue, the flame of hope is gone. At least mine is. I'm a lost cause now and will only cause my friends misery so this is goodbye. We've deluded ourselves for so long, haven't we? That we as the X-men could make a difference? And I can't help but wondering if we did more harm than good. It kinda feels like I've betrayed Xavier's dream. And mine. I won't live in that state of false innocence anymore but I still hope I'm wrong and that this will help the rest of you." 

At that, Scott turned on his optic blast for one last time but was directing it inwards effectively frying his own brain. 

"Scott! No!" Marie screamed and ran over to him to stop him but she was way too late for that. All that remained was the shell of the fearless leader, fearless to the end. 

**Meanwhile in Westchester**  
The rest of the X-men had for quite a while now been practicing harder than ever at perfectioning the use of their gifts, together with more conventional means of fighting the good (and dirty when needed) fight. Jean and Xavier in particular had been able to increase their expertise, steadily increasing their range of influence of the mind. 

Then, all of a sudden, Jean clutches her head and doubles over in agony screaming "Scott!" at the top of her voice. She slowly seems to regain her compusere when suddenly a big image of a firebird, a Phoenix, can be seen emerging from Jean. 

"I'm fire and life incarnate. Now and forever; I am Phoenix! I am immortal!" 


	10. Punishment divine

**Chapter 10: Punishment divine **

Westchester, a couple of weeks later   
I'm Charles Xavier - mentor of the X-men. How hollow that sounds now. I don't know what to do anymore, if I ever did. I thought I did, I really thought we had a chance of stopping Apocalypse from reigning supreme. Not in the beginning but when Fate's gift manifested itself a thin ray of hope was set abright. Maybe not by much since I knew how powerful Apocalypse is. After all, it's not the first time I've come across him but back then he was still biding his time I realise now. He's more cunning, patient and powerful than I gave him credit for. 

And for that we all will pay the price. Mutantkind and humankind alike. 

Many already has. The Brotherhood has sworn to be faithful to him, a lot of my students has been killed or are missing. Everything around me seems to get colder, almost by the second, as if the storm is gaining momentum. The shadows of my past, and most importantly my past mistakes, seems to be looming over my shoulders laughing at me. 

My mistakes. They haunt me and forever will. It's thanks to them things have come down to this. Scott's dead, the one that I trusted and cherished the most. He's like the son I never had and I sent him to his grave. Ororo is probably dead too but I won't grieve over her. Not yet. Not until the hope is gone. Was I ever aware that what I'm doing could lead to people being slain? I don't think so. Not where it matters, in my heart. No one ever said anything about it, daring to say that maybe things would have been better if left alone. Out of respect for me or because they really believed in my dream? I don't know but I so want to believe that it's the latter. 

But maybe there is some hope left by Scott's sacrifice. I don't claim to understand how it made Jean so much more powerful but it did. That's all that matters. She's almost like a God now, with all the power that resides in her. I can only pray that she can handle all of that and in time. She could be the key to Apocalypse final defeat. 

Dear God, if you hear me grant us the power to resist and fight this menace. 

**Back in Jerusalem**   
Apocalypse opens the door to one of his laboratories in his stronghold and walks directly up to his chief scientist, a man with a strangely white complexion. 

"Mr Sinister, is everthing ready?"   
"Not really. An unforseen event has taken place."   
"Let me guess. Scott Summers was stronger than our plans had made allowances for?"   
"No, not that. That was unfortunate but is no longer of any concern. What bothers me is that our equipment picks up signs of hitherto uncharted powers. Located in Westchester. The readings are off the charts! The mutant in question is even stronger than you, my Lord."   
"Well, let's see if we can find a way to work that to our advantage. We'll postpone the plans for a short while and in the meantime we figure out a way to once again turn the tide in our favor. Now, for another matter. Any news about the Wolverine and Rogue?"   
"None Sir. They're still on the road."   
"Now, we can't have that. They're of the utmost importance for our plans. Dispatch the hunters and bring them to me, immediately!"   
"Consider it done!"   
"Good. I will not be stopped this time. The time is at hand and now mankind will know what's it's like to walk through the deepest void, the blackened paradise. Punishment Divine is upon them!" 


	11. And then there was silence

**Chapter 11: And then there was silence **

Fate's POV   
Westchester 

Did I mention that I hate being a seer already? Yes, I did but I say it again. I frickin' hate it! If you think you know what despair is, think again. There's nothing worse in the world to know that the end is inevitably drawing nigh and there's absolutely nothing you can do to change it. 

He carries along from a distant place. He's on his way and he'll bring decay. Neverending decay. It may sound melodramatic but it's also the truth. Exactly how that will happen is hidden amongst the mists of time but it will take place. And soon. 

I know it. Charles knows it. Jean knows it. Hell, we all know it. But what can we do about it? Nothing I can see and from what I can tell, neither does anyone else. We all do our best to ignore that though and continue to prepare ourselves like it is just another battle. Like it ever could be. Not with that kind of adversary. We've won some minor victories but in the long run they're for naught. The only plus is that Rogue and the Wolverine are back here even though they scarcely made it. I have no idea of how Apocalypse did it but that doesn't matter. He managed to make Storm one of his aides and a formidable one at that. Before Sabretooth, Storm and Toad attacked them I never had realized just how powerful a weather-godess can be. 

That's one of the few victories we've had. That the couple could escape such an onslaught. We won't be that lucky again, that's one thing I'm sure of. We're doomed to face the night and the light's almost out of sight. We've reached the point of no return and all that's left to do is to fight until the end, no matter how bitter the end will be. 

The one thing that has, so far, saved us is that Apocalypse doesn't know about this secret hideout. None but Charles did until recently. 

So we wait and we prepare ourselves. And we wait some more. Hoping against all hope that the wind and the rain won't betray us again. And that the sacrifice made wasn't made in vain. 

**Logan POV**

It's getting out of hand, it really is. No, it already has. Scott's dead. Ororo is working against us. The mansion's destroyed. We're hiding like pests dreading the pesticides. What more could possibly go wrong? I don't know but I'm leaning more and more towards Fate's opinion, that everything will go to hell. I don't believe in predictions but from what I know of her predictions and what has really happened I don't really have much choice in the matter. 

Something bad's gonna happen and soon. I only hope and pray that Marie and our baby will get out of it all intact and I will do everything I can to make sure of that. 

**Two weeks later**

Damn! I know it was due but I still wasn't prepared for it all. Marie's in labour now and I feel so helpless! I can't do anything to help her through this and it's tearing me apart. Even without my enhanced senses I can hear how much agony she's in and I can smell all the blood. I'm going mad about this and it doesn't help that she can't have any anastethics either – because we fuckin' don't have any! 

I can only say "Thank you thank you thank you" as loud as I can in my mind to show how much I love that Jean's around right now. Without her Marie would not make it, I'm sure of it. I'll thank Bobby later for putting up that iceshield between the delivery-table and me - God knows how much I would interfere if it wasn't there. 

Time runs as slow as a slug caught in superglue while I'm waiting for everything to be over. I'm rather glad that there's no watch available so I could see how time's mocking me. Eventually though Jean comes out and by the look on her face I can tell that everything went well. She reassures me of that just seconds later. 

"Congratulations Logan. You're now the proud father of a healthy boy." 

Tears start falling and for once I don't even try to hide them. From the corner of my eye I can see Fate standing, looking both happy and concerned, which quite frankly makes me feeling creeped out. Why is she concerned? 

About a day later she comes to me and Marie and lays it all out. She tries to be tactful at first but it only annoys us to no end, and let's face it. News from a seer isn't likely to be good are they? Anyway, we ask her to be just blunt about it. She's still kinda reluctant about it but it comes out eventually. 

"You know I'm happy for the two of you, that you have your baby. However, I need to warn you that the child might be a danger" 

She doesn't manage to finish the sentence until the temper gets the best of me and the claws are released. 

"Danger!? How could a newborn baby be a danger?"   
"Calm down, Logan. I don't know, okay? All I know is that the glimpses from the future I've seen says that Apocalypse wants a baby. I didn't know what baby but your son bears a striking resemblance to the one I saw."   
"Scott Jr is no danger and that's final!" 

I hadn't even realized I had given the little tyke a name until I said it but it's fitting. Fate lets her shoulder slump in defeat and walks away. 

Did I overreact? Only time will tell. 

**Xavier POV**

Fate's come to me and she's clearly troubled. I should really say more than usual. 

"Charles? I really don't know what to make of this and well, I was hoping you could give me your thoughts on it."   
"Of course. What is it?" I ask and she proceeds in detailing what she thinks of her vision and Logan and Marie's child. 

If I only could dismiss it as her being edgy and afraid but I can't. I know her all too well for that and the more clearer her visions are the more likely they are to come to pass. This one is most likely true since she could recognize the child. I know Apocalypse, or at least as much as anyone can hope to know the ancient warlord There's only one thing he could possibly want from the child. To use him or exploit what's in the child's DNA. The combination of Logan's and Rogue's powers would make for a very deadly warrior and I dread to think what kind of experiments the poor kid would have to suffer through if Apocalypse can lay his hands on him. Logan may think he had it rough when he was experimented on, and his nightmares and memories certainly validates that, but Department X is gentle compared to Apocalypse. 

I try to comfort Fate by saying that we will protect the child but in vain. I didn't really think it would work but I had to try. She doesn't react in any way I would have thought though. She loses her temper and just yells 

"Protect? Protect? You must be out of your mind! This child will carry ruin here! The newborn's death would be a blessing to us all!" 

I'm thoroughly baffled at that. How could the child possibly be our saviour if he died? And since when did Fate become so uncaring about whether a infant lives or dies? I ask her and she laughs before answering 

"Oh, Charles. You're so naive. The child is exactly what Apocalypse wants and what he has schemed so long to get. A child with awesome powers that would be the foundation of his reign. Without the child his plan would be useless." 

I was so preoccupied with Fate and he behaviour that I didn't notice Logan and Rogue making their appearance until I heard a familiar snikt behind me and a scream of rage from Logan. 

"You bastard! Killing an infant instead of fighting for ourselves! And you just said to me that you weren't sure why the child was so important!"   
"I wasn't then. I am now after Charles brought up what the child very well could inherit from his parents. The vision is now clear. I can clearly see the end now." 

The silence following that statement is how silence must have been prior to the big bang. Then the bang comes together with a lot of confusion and commotion with Fate being unable to make herself heard. When she finally can her voice is thin and scared but so full of certainty. 

"This place will fall, leaving just three survivors. The child, Logan and Rogue. Apocalypse will seize the child and use it to his advantage. When Logan and Rogue later on tries to rescue their child Rogue will be taken prisoner and held hostage so Logan won't try anything stupid yet again. The child will be used as source-material for cloned warriors, guards and assassins for the preservation of Apocalypse's reign." 

This is the most detailed prophecy of hers I've ever heard and I am sure of its validity just because of that. 

I still can't bring myself to even suggest that the child should be killed to avoid that dreadful future. I don't have to use neither eyes nor telepathy to know that the parents faces are devoid of colour and life right now. 

What to do? 

**Jean POV**

I can't believe it! I can't believe that everything we've always worked so hard to gain is slipping out of our hands. Fast. I may be selfish but I can't help but wonder… was Scott's sacrifice in vain? I hope not! No man that noble and good should die for nothing. He was a better person than I could ever hope to be. And now he's dead, before I could tell him everything I wanted to. 

Damn. I better stop brooding over could-have-beens or I'll have no chance of bending fate to our advantage. 

I'm rather pessimistic about accomplishing that though. We're outpowered, our team's been irreversibly damaged and our foe is far more patient than us. 

I'm not sure but I hope my "transformation" can be used to our advantage somehow, that it's something Apocalypse didn't think of or possibly could have forseen. 

But if my experience yesterday is anything to go by, we won't have such good fortune. Apocalypse is strong-willed and, being the fool that I am, I tried to bend his will to mine yesterday. A complete and utter failure. He almost made me obedient to his will instead! And I can still hear his mocking voice in my head. 

"The final curtain will fall, Dr Grey. Hear my voice and the sound of doom. There is no choice. There's no way out, as you'll soon find out." 

So many people have failed to his will or machinations already. All the way back to ancient times. How many of our myths really speak of him? I don't know and I'm not so sure I want to know. All that I know is that I don't regret becoming an X-man, even if it now seems like it will soon be the death of me. We're the only chance the planet has after all and I'd be just cannon fodder when all is said and done regardless. 

But I refuse to give up! That's just not me! Somehow we're gonna get the head of that madman! Figuratively speaking. 

If only I could control the Phoenix part of me…then our chances would surely increase. 

Is that all that stands between us and certain doom? 

It's the dead of night. A mysterious figure is hiding in the shadows as he or she is moving about in the hideout of the X-men. The figure's hooded and almost looks like a monk. It moves slowly and as soon as a word or movement is noticed elsewhere, it stops completely and melts together with the shadows. The only way to know it's there is to know it beforehand. Otherwise nothing in the world would reveal it. 

The figure stops outside the make-do nursery and listens intently. No sound is coming from inside except the small noises you could expect from an infant sleeping soundly. The door's opened slowly and the hooded figure is silently praying that it won't make any sound whatsoever. Whatever deity that received the prayer, it decided that it was one worth heeding. The door stays silent and the masked figure slips into the nursery, standing by Scott Jrs crib – looking at Scott with affection and love. 

"I'm sorry I have to do this" the figure says, picking the infant boy up and adjusts the robes to hide both of them. It's not working perfectly though and Scott Jr is clearly uncomfortable being carried around like that and starts to cry. Minutes go while the baby's being rocked to sleep again. After that, the figure hurries up and is almost running in its attempts to avoid drawing attention to itself. 

It fails. 10 minutes later it runs straight into Logan, notoriously nocturnal. Not even his animal senses can detect the presence of the nightstalker so he almost fails in his duties as guard. Call it luck or the bond between father and son but at that precise moment Scott wakes up and starts to cry again. Only a deaf person would fail to notice a crying baby where no other sounds can be heard and Logan's anything but deaf. He can use his acute hearing the same way a bat navigates so he's able to take just three steps, with the claws being unsheated at step 2, before he's face to face with the intruder. He growls and roars "Gimme back my son!" before lunging. He knows exactly where his son is so there's no risk of him accidently clawing him. The intruder is more agile and limber than anticipated though so he only manages to rip the cloak. Only slightly but enough for him to be able to see who's inside it. 

His entire body goes rigid by surprise and he's only able to say "You!" before the intruder just waves the hand, almost nonchantly, making time to essentially come to a halt as far as Logan's concerned. 

A soft "I'm sorry" can be heard before the intruder leaves the grounds, with only a frozen Logan, a stolen car and a missing Scott as the only evidence of it ever being there. 

**The next morning**

Dr Jean Grey is walking from her sleeping-place towards her new charge, as the pedetrician of Scott Jr. She feels proud that Logan and Marie decided to name their firstborn after her late fiancee'. "You're being silly, Jean" she tries to tell herself. Not very successfully though. That's when she stops dead in her tracks. She rubs her eyes, certain that she must have seen wrong. Why's Logan standing so still? Like it was a statue of him and not the real thing. She goes closer, waves her hand in front of his eyes. No reaction. She pinches his arm. Still no reaction but at least it felt like living tissue to her. Always something. This is something she's never ever seen or even heard of before though so she has no idea of where to even begin looking for what's wrong with Logan. She knows her limits. She knows how to figure out what kind of disease is present given a certain set of symptoms. However, this is not a known disease and she's no research scientist. To tell the truth, she feels like she did the first time she misdiagnosed something. Like a complete fool that never should have been allowed into medschool. The feeling passed that time, this time she does what experience has taught her: she calls for help. 

The hours pass as she and Xavier together do what they can do to find out what happened to Logan. Logan's usually naturally resistant to telepathy so they have their work cut out for them. The hours pass some more. They're still not much closer to finding anything physically or mentally wrong with Logan. "Not entirely true" Xavier thinks. "I know what's wrong. He's been forced somehow to not move a muscle. I'm just not unable to figure out a way to break that command.". The two telepaths have been so preoccupied with trying to cure Logan that they haven't given much thought to anything else. They know that Scott Jr is gone but in order to find where to, Logan needs to be awake or they need to be able to read his mind more clearly. Jean smiles weakly when she thinks about that…she remembers what Xavier once told her: "If you're gonna read minds I think there are safer places to start than in Logan's". 

Suddenly something happens though. Rogue bursts in on them, despite that everyone's been told not to disturb them unless they're being attacked. She quickly assures them that no attack's taken place but that she just had to see how things were going with her own eyes. Before Jean or Xavier's have had time to say that nothing's changed, Logan's stirred a little. No one can answer to why but with Jean and Xavier's help as guides, Logan's able to fight himself out of the darkness where he was. 

Once he's out of the groggieness that followed the "coma" he asks "Okay, where is she?"   
"Who?" Xavier wonders.   
"The woman with the yellow eyes"   
"Mystique?"   
"No! Unless she's developed some new powers. Like being able to completely hide her scent."   
"Well, we'll have to deal with that later. Right now we need to make other plans. We know what Fate said. Apocalypse wants your son to further his own agenda and I think it's safe to say that he now has exactly that. No, Logan. Retract your claws. Save them for a better opponent than some imaginary Apocalypse here. We don't know exactly what he wants with Scott or how he intends to go about it, but we need to find them fast! Both because of your son and to thwart Apocalypse. Jean, I need you to" 

That's as long as Xavier got in his sentence before clutching his head in pain, screaming out "Fate! Nooooooooooo!" 

Rogue immediately runs forward to him, holding him and trying to comfort him – trying to be there for him as he always was there for her when she needed it. "What's wrong with Fate? Is she dead?" she brings herself to ask when Xavier once again is his usual self. 

He just shivers after hearing the question. His voice don't quite hold but he manages to get out one single sentence. 

"No, it's worse than that." 

**The previous night**

When Fate left her mind was in an uproar. She felt like she was betraying the trust Charles and the rest of the X-men had put in her. It's not like the feeling is wrong she thought bitterly to herself. When all is said and done this is what it is. She also wondered why she never had told them the truth during all these years. Who she is, what she can really do and what her history is. The feeling of being ashamed? Being afraid of being shunned if it was known? "Too late to do anything about the past" she thinks, "time to make the future a better place" she thinks as she speeds away in speeds almost defying the laws of nature. She knows exactly where she's going and how to get there fast. Just one small detour first… 

She doesn't know exactly what she hopes to accomplish though, she only knows that someone has to do something or there's no way of stopping the avalanche. She laughs, remembering what she told Logan once in what feels like eons ago. He had just arrived back from one of his fruitless private missions to find his own past – frustrated as always that it once again was a false lead. The trees in the mansion suffered greatly from his failure which had made Storm threatening to fry him if as much as looked funny at the trees ever again. Fate laughs at that memory too, until she remembers that Storm is lost to them. Tears threaten to start running from her eyes but she refuses to let them – she knows that if they do start running she won't be able to stop crying. She has had too much sorrow recently and during the course of her life to make the tears last a lifetime. She thinks back to what she said to Logan again… "Don't you think it's time to stop the chase? You go around and around in circles, getting nowhere when you have family and friends here that doesn't give a damn about what or who you were in your past? Just stop running! Whatever happened to you is beyond your reach now". She had said far more than that, in anger and disappointment. Anger because she felt he was throwing his life away and disappointment because she had been so sure he had been so much smarter than that. For once though, Logan hadn't bothered to react in anger with being cornered and told off. He had just walked away and maybe he had taken things to heart because his days of disappearing had become much less frequent after that. 

Now though…Fate now feels like it had been one of her most embarrassing moments. She hadn't been angry or upset with Logan after all. She knows that now and it had been a better call to start a blazing row with her mirror image. She's guilty herself of exactly the same things she accused Logan of and to an even greater extent. 

It's time to stop that. It's time to stop running and face the music. 

**Several hours later**

The ancient warlord looks in disbelief at the woman standing right in front of him. Not only had she been able to penetrate all the safeguards he had put in place to protect himself and his technology she also by all rights should be dead. Moreover, she's wearing the uniform of the X-men. She's successfully hidden herself in the ranks of the very group he thought he knew everything of. He tries to hide his surprise, feelings and getting caught off-guard are the property of the weak after all, but fails utterly. 

"My, my. If the mighty Apocalypse doesn't look surprised. " Fate tells him with more than a hint of mocking in her voice. Apocalypse ignores the mocking and decides to drop the charade and play honest with her for a little while – all in the name of trying to draw information out of her.   
"Why shouldn't I be, Nephri? You're supposed to be nothing but dust in the deserts of Egypt by now. You died several millennia ago."   
"Nothing is ever what it seems to be, is it? For all your powers and scheming over the years you're still nothing more than that insecure slaveboy from ancient Egypt, trying desperately to get even at the world for what happened to you back then. But you're right. Nephri died back then, I'm not the same woman anymore. The name Nephri doesn't mean anything to me anymore."   
"If you say so. Be proud of yourself though. You've managed to solve the puzzle of who's been able to give Xavier some information over what kind of adversary he faces, Nephri. Or should I call you Cassandra?" 

If Fate hadn't known how thorough Apocalypse could be she would have been shocked that he knew immediately who she now was known as. She doesn't have any time to answer Apocalypse because he immediately continues with "However, that doesn't answer the primary question. Why are you here? I know it's not to be on my side in the upcoming war."   
"You got that right. I'm only here to defeat you, it's that simple. And even if I fail at that you'll fail. The infant you wanted is beyond your reach and the old prophecies will not come true." 

To her dismay the warlord just roars with laughter. When the laughter has subsided she can hear him saying "Do you really think so? Granted, I do not know what powers you do possess but the powers of Apocalypse are not to be trifled with. As for the infant, that's just a temporary setback. I don't need him immediately and his whereabouts will be revealed with time. Prophecies always come true, Cassandra. You should know that by now. What you might not know, however, is that they need someone to make them come true. In this instance, that's you. I wouldn't have been able to pinpoint the location of Xavier's little band of freedom-fighters without you." 

That's when Fate felt the familiar feeling of telepathic probings into the inner recesses of her mind. Not quite as strong as Xavier himself would have been able to do it but strong enough to make her know that she would be unable to resist it for long. She knew she could hide one thing and one thing only to the unstoppable force, that's the extent of her resistive will against it. She had no choice – Scott Jr had to be protected at all costs. 

She could only pray that the X-men would be able to fight back when the attack comes. Not if, when. 

"You should have watched your steps, Cassandra. Welcome to the end. Your end, sister of mine." 

Fate finds herself in the darkest of places, drifting away. She feels the other world appearing. Not the mythical eternal life but the world where Apocalypse reigns. That thought itself fastforwards Apocalyopse's hold on her and it feels like time keeps on running faster towards disaster. 

Her last thought before her will became the property of Apocalypse is "And here I was thinking that Logan was the unwilling traitor. God, was I wrong!" 

And then there was silence. Her mind being so wiped clean that it's just like a leaf in an icy world – dying with no chance of recovery. Her only comfort, had it been possible for her to feel that way, is that she was able to send a mental distress signal to Charles. They wouldn't be completely defenseless against the merciless warlord. 

But how much good would the advance warning do them? Only time would tell and a really short amount of time at that! 


End file.
